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"I'm not going to fail any of you," said Colon, addressing the DTC and thanking members for supporting her.

Simmons said, if re-elected in the fall, he'll advocate for BOE accountability and efficient spending.

Nearly all City Council nominees were incumbents, with new faces in only two districts. Out of 10 districts with two council seats each, just one -- the 137th -- saw more than two names vying for nomination.

"I'm very happy and I'm ready to continue working for the community," said Lydia Martinez, a retired city schoolteacher, after the convention. "I care a lot about the people. We have a lot of drugs and we have a lot of crime on the East Side of Bridgeport, so we need to increase the quality of life."

Valle, who was named as a possible nomination but received few votes on Wednesday, appears ready to orchestrate a primary challenge to retain her seat.

Party Chairman Mario Testa said he wasn't surprised by the convention outcome.

"As long as the town committee is pleased with the results, I'm pleased with the results," he said.

More than 100 people crammed into a banquet room in Testo's Restaurant, owned by Testa, on Madison Avenue for the convention, which was finished in an hour.

This is a relatively quiet election season, as it is not a mayoral election year.

But outside Testo's as the convention began, a crowd of protestors gathered, carrying signs that stated, "Ungag the people" and "Save our neighborhoods."

They are among a group, the Committee to Ungag the People, that is fighting for a public hearing on revisions to the future land-use master plan and zoning maps, said committee Chairman Michael Voytek.